N‐Furfurylformamide as a pseudo‐substrate for formylmethanofuran converting enzymes from methanogenic bacteria

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Abstract
Methanofuran involved in methanogenesis. The N‐formyl derivative is an intermediate in the reduction of CO2 to CH4 and the disproportionation of methanol to CO2 and CH4. Formylmethanofuran dehydrogenase and formylmethanofuran:tetrahydromethanopterin formyltransferase are the enzymes catalyzing its conversions. We report here that the two enzymes from Methanosarcma barkeri and the formyltransferase from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum can also use N‐furfurylfonnamide as a pseudo‐substrate albeit with higher apparent K m and lower apparent V max values. N‐Methylformamide, formamide, and formate were not converted indicating that the furfurylamine moiety of methanofuran is the minimum structure required for the correct binding of the coenzyme.